Automatic glass-blowing machine



nml 1926. l 1,587,466

s. A. BRQWN ET m4 AUTOMATC GLASS BLOWING MACHINE i 'I 1 S i 4 .Z'NYENTUB s: EARL EHDJn/Ar,

1s/'DREES EMBL SEN,

\ /v :Ey M 59 y THEIR TTUHNE'Y.

'June l 1926, 1,587,466

c. A. BROWN ET AL,

AUTOMATIC GLASS BLOWING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1924 5 sheets-sheet 2 39 Qk 5 JNXZENTURS:

r THEIR Tcmzvsrz June 1 1926. 1,587,466

` l C. A. BROWN Er AL.

AUTOMATIC GLASS BLOWING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 192@ 1,587,466'

- C. A. BROWN .r-:T AL.

AUTOMATIC GLASS BLOWING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1924 5 SheeS-Sheeb 4 ZN VEN TDR '5.- .CRL A. BR UWM, NDREE D. MEL SEN,

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@EIA AT TURNE'X C. A. BROWN ET AL.

AUTOMATIC GLASS BLOWING MACHINE June i 1926, m5879466 c Filed April 23, 1924 5 sheets-sheet 5 ZLWNTIHS: f6 f6 CRL f BRDWN,

- ANDREAS El MEL SEN,

IHEJ TTUH NE: Y:

` to machines of Februa 10, 1920, for automatic glass bl Patented .lune 1, 1926;4 d

UNITEDl STATES 1,581,466- PATENT OFFICE.

CARL A. BnowN, orEAsT cLnvELA'ND, Ami ANDREAS C. NIELSEN, oir CLEVELAND, omo, AssxaN'ons 'ro GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CoaroaA'rIoN os Naw ironicv A 4 Application ma April as, 1924. semi no. 708,540.

Our invention relates to improvements in automatic machines for blowing articles from glass tubing, and more particularly this character for blowing incandescent lamp bulbs such as the machine disclosed and described in the patent of F. B. Hofstetter and F. J., Rippl,`1,330',707,

owing mac ines. The principal objects of our invention are to provide a machine of such construction as will readily adapt itself to f the manufacture of incandescent lamp bulbs of various sizes such as flash light bulbs, automobile bulbs, vacuum tubes andl standard incandescent lamp bulbs, to provide new and improved gripping and rotating means for the glass tubing and automatic means -for lowering the same, to provide a machine of such construction that all ofthe driving Iand -supporting'bearings are so located that they are eiectivel 1 protected'from. overheating, and, especia ly, to provide a machine having a comparatively high output and low shrinkage. Further featuresl and advantages of our invention will appear from the detailed description and drawings of a species' vthereof which follows.

'A the line 3-3' of 4 centering thereof;

' the line d lplan view of one the glass tubing;

' ln the accom anying drawin s Fig. 1 is a plan 'view o the machine; ig-2 is a fragmentary elevation of the uppermost portion ofthe machine; Fig. 3 isa fragmentary. elevation vartiallyl in section along l ig'. 1 s owing the main driving and mould operating mechanism; Fig. '4 is a horizontal section along the line 4.--4 of 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the glass tube steadying and iaws; Fig. 6 is a front elevation Big. 7 is a vertical section 'along 7 7 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is an enlarged of the heads which carry @thereof partially 1n section; Fig. 10 is a side elevation partially in section; Figs. 11.

and 12 are fragmentary details showing the operating lever; Fig. 13 is a horizontal section along the line 13-13of Fig. .3; Fig. 14 represents the various steps during the operation of the machine in the formation of v the completed bulb; Fig. 15 is a fragmentary detail the clutch raising mechanism; and

Fihl is a detail of the feeding means.

e machineA is of the indexing Geneva ear type and as in the illustration shown l1s an eight position parallel or side by side 'used to time and o Fig. 9 is a front elevation s indle, duplex cycle or sixteen spindle mac ine. The frame or structure of 4ourf-.machine iscomposed of three main castings, a floor plate 10, work table 11 to'whicli are attached the various means which form the bulb from the lower end of theglass tubing, and an upper or top tie frame 12. These three main frame .units are connected orv built finto a substantial frame by four columns, corner posts or uprights such as four steel bars 13. 4 .p

In the center of these three'castings the main bearings are located, and the main or. central timing shaft 14 passes through these mainbearings and reachesfrom a radial bearing 15 as well as a thrust bearin 16 supported in the iloorv plate 10 (Fig up through the work table 11` and into a radial 'bearing 17 in the top tie frame' 12. The central timing shaft 14 being'a` continuous rotating shaft is so timed. as to make one -R. P. M. in the'time intended to make one pair of bulbs, 'or in the time it takes the machine to index from station to station and dwell .at one station.4 vSince all necessary mechanical `operations vto make one 'pair of bulbs must function once in this eriod of time, this shaft 14 has been provi ed and is rate most mechanical functions. The sha 14 is rotated by means of an electric motor (not shown) throu h a set of proper ratio spur gears 18, 19 an 19 meshing with bevel gear 20 fastened to the end of vertical shaft 214 which issupported by the bracket' 21 attached to the table 11. The shaft 21 carries the gear 22 which meshes with the gear 23v which is keyed to theshaft 14. j

Extending up through radial bearing 24 in the center of the work table 11 and resting on 'the thrustbearing 25 is a hollowv edestal 26 which :has at one end thereof a anged top 27 for mounting and supporting the lowercarrier or spider 28. Surrounding the said pedestal 26 isa stationary casing 29 which is fastened to the work table 11 and extends up to the lower edge of the 4flanged top 27 of the pedestal where a -cirattached to the flanged top 27 of the pedestal y 26 by means -of bolts and has extending therefrom one ormore hollow steel columns 31 which support at their opposite ends an upper carrier or spider 32 thereby forming the frame work for all the indexing members. Extendin upward from the spider 28 and carried a ove by the upper spider 32 are a number of sets of vertical rods 33 which serve as guides for the heads 34, each head having a pair of tube carrying s indles .35 (Fi 8, 9 and 10). The sp1n les 35 carry t e lengths of glass tubing 36 which are continuously rotated by means of the gea-rs 37 which are attached to the upper ends of the spindles 35. The gears 37 receive their motion from the gear 38 -which is spider 28, hollow steel columns 31 and upper mounted in the head 34 but slida'bly keyed to the drive shaft 39 which extends from a bearing in the lower spider 28 up through. a. bearing in the up r spider` 32. The drive shaft 39 has attac ed to its upper end a gear 40 which rests above the upper spider 32 and meshes and receives its motion from spur-gear 41which is mountedand a lar keyed!l to the central timing shaft 14.`

The dimensions and ratio of these gears are such that, while starting with comparative slow speed but continuous motion of the central timing shaft, the speed has been sufficiently increased before it reaches the spindles 35 to- 've the ri ht rotating s d for the tube uring` the eating an b owing of the bulbs.

The rotating vframe which carries the heads 34 .and which comprises the lower spider 32 is intermittently rotated so as to gagement is controlled by a clutc lowers theclutch 48 into Iand out of cause each of the heads tostop for a definite period with their dependlng glass tubes in operative'relation' with one of a series of means each of which has a definite function -in producing the bulbs therefrom. The

said intermittent motion'is controlled by a Geneva .gear 42 which is keyed and fastened to the lower end of the hollow pedestal 26 and has a number of slots 43 which are engaged by a pin 44 (Fig. 13) extending from an arm 45 sup orted on ashaft 46 mounted in a bearingr4 of the table l1. The arm 45 is intermittently rotated by means of a clutch 48 attached to the up er end of a sleeve 48 which is slidably eyed on the drive shaft 21. The time and len h of en- F ll d .ng fobk ig. 15 ivota y'supporte at 49 y the bracket 21;.) The fork 49 is o erated by the timing'I cam 50 fastened to t e central timing shaftA 14. Thesaid fork raises and engagement with the arm 45.

Referring now to Fig. 13, it will be seen that there are ei ht stations which are indicated as A to In this particular '-machine the number of heads 34 corresponds glass tubing 36. At station B the glass tublng is heated by the preliminary cut off burners 52. At station C are located the final out olf burners 53. It is at this station that the bulbs are severed from the glass tubing and fall upon a chute 53 which conveys them to a suitable container. At station D the lower ends of the glass tubing are shaped and dressed by means of dressing burners 54. At station E the glass tubing is again heated over a somewhat larger area b means of the burners 55. At sta-tion F t e glass tubing receives its final heating by means of the burners 56. At station G the plastic ends of. the glass tubing are formed into the desired article which, in this case, is an incandescent lamp bulb', by means of the mold 57. As the-machine rotates toward station H the glass tubing is lowered in order that thel severing or cut-off may take place above the blown article and also allow a suicient length for the blowing of another bulb thereon'. Should the tubing be of such length that it would be im ossible to com lete another cycle, they would be discharge at this station and replaced by new lengths of tubing.

The lowering of the heads, `34 is accomplished Aby means of a number of circular tracks 58 (Figs. '2, 3 and 4) which are ndjustably supported on a stationary hollow shaft 59 keyedl to the stationary bracket 60 and extending upl through the,center of the machine. Each ead 34 rests upon the circular tracks 58 through a pair of horizontal rods 61-62 (iFigs. 8 and 10) which are slidably mounte in bearing 63 and terminate in a cross piece 64 which has extending therefrom a short shaft 65 having mounted thereon a roller 66. As the machine indexes the roller 66 follows the track 58 until it comes to a gap or escapement 67 (Fi s. 4 and 16) whereupon the roller 66 slides gown the guide 68 to the next lower circular track. This occurs each time a headhas completed a cycle and produced a pair of bulbs. In the machine shown this ap is located between stations G and H (Fig. 4).

The circular tracks 58 (Fig. 4) are spaced on the stationary shaft 59 so that when the head 34 reaches the bottom or loweimost track the glass tubing is used up, and it' is necessary to remove the short'lengths of tubing previous to replacing new ones. This is accomplished at the feed or loading .sta-

tion indicated as H on Fig. 13. At thisstation the operator throws the handle 69 -of the head 34 sideways in the direction of the arm 70 is a lug 72 which has an inclined surface 73 on which restsa roller-74 forming part of an operating yoke 75. The said yoke carries at each side thereof rollers 76 clined surface 73 of the lug which have resting thereon under ressure of the springs 77 the washers 78 w ich are attached to the spindle sleeves 79 slidably mounted on the spindle 35. As .the handle 69 is thrown sideways (Figs. 9 and 11) the operatin yoke 75 is forced upward by means o the roller 74 travelinor la Rollers 76 raise the washers 78 and spindle sleeves 79 upward against the sprin s 77 thus relieving the spring pressure on t e tube gripping ,this time the operator also grips the stausing loading the operator tionary handle 82 and raises the head l34 to the top of the machine whereu on the handle is releasedand the roller 66 -orced outvard and upon the top track by the action of the spring 83. In order that the spring pressure on the grip ing rubbers 80 be relieved during the loading operation a vlatch 84 is provided which is loosely pivoted on a cross pin 85. Said latch is held out'of operative position by. means of a uide pin,86 which is carried by the yoke (Figs. 9,

. 10, 11 and 12). When the yoke 75 is raised u ward as hereinbefore described, it lifts the pin 86, thus allowing the latch 84 to fall from an angular to a vertical position by gravity. As the latch '84 is on the same center line and directly under the pin 86, it holds the pin in the u ward position, thus preventing the yoke 75 rom 'returning until t e spindles have been reloaded with new tubes. When ips the new tube in' each hand and sllps them over the gripping rubbers at the same time t e 'thumb of either hand to press the latch 84 backward, thus allowing the ide pin 86 and yoke 75 to fall downward reeing the action ot' the spring 77 to compress the rubbers 80 so as to grip and -hold Athe tubes rmly.

" At the time the upper ends of the glass tubing are placed on the rubbersA 80, the

lower ends are placed in certain means for guiding and steadying the tubing which rotates continuously during the operation of the machine. In the. drawings, Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, these means comprise jaws 87, and 88 90 whic up the inivotally mounted on pins 89 andl Eextend from vthe plate 91 up.

by means of the bridge 92. The jaws may through the spider 28 where .they are held be removed without disturbing the rest of the machine by simply lifting the bridge 92 from the pins 89 and 90. In order that the jaws be self centerin they are ivotally connected by means o links 93 an 94 to a sliding bar 95 which is slidably mounted between the lates 96 and 97 fastened t.) the plate 91. T e jaws 87 and 88`are opened against the tension of. spring 98 which is attached to the extension 99 of the bar 95 and to the bridge 92. The plates 91 which carry the jaws 87 and 88' are attached to the lower spider 28 by beig bolted onv to the lower ends of the gui e rods 33. An

asbestos fire shield 100 is attached to the bottom of the plate 91 in order to lprotect all such parts which` are in the neighborhoodof t e fires where they would be subject to the expansion and contraction as well as the corrosive effects of the heat.`

As the head 34 reaches the bulb blowing position which is indicated as G (Figs. 3, 4 and `13) the mold 57 which comprises'the mold members 101 and 102 are brought together soas to close about the ends of the glass-tubing. The mold members 101 and 102 are mounted upon the beds 103 and -104 which are slidably mounted upon horizontal slide rods 105 being supported at each end by the brackets'106 and 107 which are fastened to the'work table 11. The mold members are opened and closed by means of the vertical shaft'108 which extends up through a bearing orguide in the table '11 and has attached to itsfupper end a cross bar 109 which carries at each end thereof the adi ally attached to the sliding beds 103- and 104. The shaft 108 is reciprocated up and down by the action of the cam 112 roller I113 mountedon pin 114 carried by the cross piece 115. Attachedv to the cross piece 115 bracket 121, one end of the crank 119 bein 'justable links 110 and 111 which are pivot- 1 forked on the cross pin 122 between the s 116 and the other end' being forked on the pin v123 carried by the shaft 108. -Thelower end of the shaft 108extends through a bearing124 carried by the bracket 121. When the mold is in the closed position as shown in Fig. 3, the spring 125 which surrounds the shaft 108 and irs/supported between the bracket 121 and collar `126 is under com-v pression. .The cam 112 is driven from the central timing shaft 14 by means of the gears 127, 128 and 129.

-After the molds have closed `about the ends of :the glasstubes, air isadmitted for `the purpose of blowing the bulbs. This air is supplied by-means of a hose, not shown, at-

tached tothe hollow cap 130 which communicates with the passage 131 in the upper end of the shaft 14, said passa e oommunicating with passa e 132 whic leads` to the chamber 133 o .the upper spider 32 forming` part of the air reservolr as shown in ig. 2. Attached to the upper spider 32 and also forming part of the air reservoir is the air valve mount .134 which carries the air valves 135, therebeinvone valve for each head 34. A hose136 forms the connectionbetween the valves 135 and the heads 34. v It may be desirable to admit air to the glass tubing prior to its reaching -the final or bulb blowmg station, and, as shown in Fig. 2, we provide two sets o f mechanisms such as a pair of cams, althou h one camvfor o erating the air control mec anism at the nal blowing station is all that is required. The blowing air is controlled by means of cams 137 mounted on shafts 138 extending through the bearings 139 carried bythe bracket 140, said bracket being -mounted on the stationary hollow shaft 59.

The cams 137 are operated and timed byy motion from the central .timing shaft 14 always two valves -in position over the cams 137, one valve being invthe preliminary blowing position and one being in the final blowing position. At the proper time the" 5 cams 137 raise the valve stems 143 against the action of the springs 144 thus allowing air to pass 'from t eair reservoir through .l the hose connections 136 into the horizontal assages 145 of the heads 34, as shown in ig. 9. The passages 145 communicate with the spindlesV by means of holes 146 therein. In order to regulate the amount of air which is to' enter the spindles, means such as regulating stems 147l are rovided which open or close passage 148 which connects the passage 145 to the outside atmosphere. The stems 147' are held in position by means of the fiat springs 148.

The operation ofthis machine is as folstarting and the heads 34 are resting on the top circular track 58, the operator grips a. length of tubing in each hand and slips them over the ends of the spindles 35 on to the gripping rubbers 80, at the same time with one foot pushes .the lower ends of the tubing into the self centering jaws 87 and -88 which are used for guiding the lower ends thereof. Before the operator loosens his ri on the tubingl he presses the latch 84 acward to free the action of the springs 77 which compress the rubbers 80 thereby holding the tubing on the spindles 35. The

'head is now indexed in the direction of the` u arrow (Fig. 13), from the loading station H through bevel. gears 141 and 142. There arev lows: Assuming that the machine is just.

item66.

to the first heating station A. At this station the lower ends of the tubing are preliminarily heated. The head is then in dexed to station Bl where the tubing is heated at the point of cut ot. At station C the tubing is out off and 'the lower ends closed by means of the final cut ofi:l fires. At station D the tubes are again heated for the purpose of dressing and rounding out the lower ends thereof. At station E the tubes are again heated prior to receiving theirfinal heating which is applied at station F. It

is at this station .that the lower ends of the tubing' are intensively heated and the-glass is plastic when the tubes are transferred to station G wherethey enter the mold mech7 anis'm 57, while air is admitted to the tubing by means of the valves 135. As the head is l nowindexed from station G to station H,

the roller 66 which supports the head 34 rides on the circular track 58, until it reaches agate 67 where it rides down the guide 68 (Fig. 4) thus bringing the head 34 on the next lower circular track 58 when the feed-f ing 'or loading station H is reached. The cycle of operations is then repeated.

What we claim as new and desire to secure' by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an automatic machine for making glass articles, the combination of a substantially horizontally disposed carrier, a substantially vertically disposed guide attached to said carrier, a head supported independently of `said carrier andslidably mounted on said guide and comprising means for relo lceiving andretaili'ng the end'of a glass tube, means positioned to engage another portion of said tube and adapted to center it Without supporting it, heating means adapted and arranged to be brought into operative relation tothe free end of said tube, inolding'means adapted and arranged to engage said tube and mechanism where by saidheating and molding means are causedto operate in proper sequence.

2. In an automatic machine for making glass articles, the combination of a substantially horizontally disposed carrier, a plurality of substantially vertically disposed guides attached to said carrier,.heads each comprising means .for receiving and retaining the end of a glass tube slidably mounted on said guides and supported inde )endently of said carrier so as to allow independent lowering of each head, means each positioned to engageanother portion of each of said tubes and adapted tocenter it without supporting it,`means forl moving said carrier, .heating means and molding means disposed in operative relation to the path of travel -of the free ends of said tubes, and moans whereby said heating and molding means yare brought` into operation in proper sequence and for proper intervals.

3. In an automatic machine for making of a glass tube, means di glass articles, the combination of a substantially horizontally disposed carrier, a plurality of substantially vertically disposed guides attached to said carrier, heads each comprising means for receiving and retaining the end of a glass tube slidably mounted on said guides and supported inde' endently v of saidl carrier so as to allow in ependcnt lowering of cach head, means each positioned to engage another portion of each of said tubes and adapted to center it without supporting it, means for moving said carrier, heating means and molding means disposed in operative relation to the path of travel of the free ends of said tubes, and means whereby said heating and molding means are brought into operation in proper sequence and for proper intervals.

4. In an automatic machine for making glass articles, the combination of a substantially horizontally disposed carrier, a substantially vertically disposed guide attached to said carrier, a head slidably mounted on said guide and vcomprising means for receiving and retaining the end ofa glass tube, means for rotating said tube, means ositioned to engage another ortion of Vsaid tube and adapted to center it without supporting it, heating means adapted and arranged to be brought into operative relation to the free end of said tube, molding means adapted and arranged to engage said tube and mechanism whereby said heating and molding means are caused to operate in proper sequence.

5. In an automatic machine for making glass articles, the combination of -a substantially horizontally disposed carrier, a substantially vertically disposed guide attaclied to said carrier, a head slidably mounted on said guide and com rising means for receiving and retaining t e end osed above the upper end of said tube or rotating the same, meanspositioned to enga e another rtion of said tube and adapte it without supporti it, heatingY means adapted and arrange to be brought into operative relation to the free end of said tube, molding means adapted and arranged to engage said tube and mechanism whereby said-heating and molding means are caused to operate in proper sequence.

6. In an'autoniatic machine for making glass articles, the combination .of a substantially liorizontall stantially-vertica y diposed guide attached to said carrier, a he comprising means for receivin land retainin glasstube idably mounted andV supported independently of said carrier,

means comprising a drive disposed adjacent to said carrier for rotati v said tube, means' positioned to engage aiiot er portion of said 4 tube andv adapted to center it, without sppto center `stantially vertical said guide and comprising means disposed carrier, asub-v the end of a ranged to be'brought on said guide porting it, heating means adapted and arranged to be' brought into operative relation to t ie Jfree end of said tube, molding means adapted and arranged to engagle said tube and mechanism whereby said eating and molding means aie caused to operate in proper sequence. 7. In an automatic machine for makin glass articles, the combination of upper an ower substantially horizontally isposed carriers, a substantially vertically disposed guide extending between said carriers, a head comprising means for receiving and retaining. the end of a glass tube slidably mounted on said guide and supported independently of said guide and carriers, means positioned to engage another portion of said tube and adapted to center it without sup- .portin it, heating means adapted and arhead slidably mounted on said guide and comprising means for receiving and retaining the end ofa 'glass tube, means comprising a drive disposed adjacent to said upper carrier for rotating said tube, means positioned to en age another portion of said tube and ada-pte to center it without supporting it, heating means ada ted and arran be brought into' operative relation to t e free end of said tube, moldin means adapted and arranged to en? sai tube and mechanism' whereby .sai and moldingmeans are caused .to opera in proper sequence. l 7

9. In' an automaticmachine for making tially horizontall disposedjcarrier, a subide attached to said carrier, a head slidab ymounted on I for receiving and retaining the end of .a glass means independent of said guide and of carrier for supporting said head and for das lowing 1t to periodically -lower along ow mibstanff i guide, means psitioned to en portion of sai -tube and to tially vertical movement of said tube another nii through, heating means adapted and -arinto operative relation to the free end of said tube, molding meant adapted and arranged to e?? .aid eh and mechanism whereby sai eating'- and.' molding means are caused tooperat'e in vproper sequence. 5

10. In an automatic machine for making ne4 glass articles, the combination of a aubetan- -rod of av head mounted for substantial tical movement and comprisin glass articles, the combination lwith a lguidemounted in operative relation to the ends `of 'f ing and `retaining'the end of a glass tube said tubes and adapted to `heat said ends simultaneously and means thereafter brought into operation for simultaneously forming the glass articles therefrom.

11. In an automatic machine for making glass articles, the combination vof a substantially horizontally disposed carrier, a. substantially vertically disposed guide attached to said carrier, a. head slidably mounted on said guide and comprising means for receivmeans independent of said guide and of sai carrier for supporting said head and for allowing it to periodically lower' along said guide, means positioned to-engage anotherl portion of said tube and to al ow 'substantially vvertical movement ofysaid tube therethrough, heating means adapted and arran ed toA be brought into operative relation to t e free end of said tube, and to maintain a heating zone out of line with said head supporting and lowering means, molding means adapted and arranged to engage said 80 glass articles, -a central standard, a carrier 35 rotatably mounted thereon, a

lurality of\ substantially vertically dispose ides at- .tached4 to said carrier, heads sli ably supported on said guide and each com rising means for receiving and retaining t e end 40 of' a glass tube, a means for supporting said heads consistin of members proyecting from said heads an a track engaging and supportinghsaid members and shaped so as to t e heads to gradually descend as the 45 allow carrier 1s rotated.

In Witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 21st day of April, 1924.

CARL A. BROWN. ANDREAS C. NIELSEN. 

